A New You: Lee Wallace

Lee Wallace Before

Who: Lee Wallace; one grown daughter and two grandsons; lives in Midtown, and is a registered dietitian at the Boling Center for Developmental Disabilities.

Issues: A co-worker submitted Wallace because she needed a new look. Wallace agreed, and said she needed color, and she had no clue what length skirt would work for her, or what styles in general were good for her.

Hair fix: Karl Smith, a creative colorist at DiVa Colour Studio in Memphis, TN, who trained in London with advanced training in Australia, explained to Wallace that with just one-third gray, she didn’t need drastic color. Smith applied a golden varnish to give tonal dimension within her hair color. He then used the Balayage highlighting technique of light dusting of color near the root to a full coverage of color near the ends. The method will ease Wallace’s gray into her hair, creating an illusion of extra highlighting.

Smith trimmed about 3 inches off Wallace’s hair to set the foundation for the cut that he would create based on her needs, type of hair and face shape.

The result was a style tapered around her face and layered in the back that gave Wallace’s hair body and shape, even when she shook her head. Wallace mixed Barex Hairgomine and Raha Silky Smooth to give Wallace anti-humidity protection and shine without losing body. Indie Hair Powder, which is good for fine, straight hair, was used to give lift at the crown. The final styling was done with a round brush alternating heat and cold settings on the blow dryer.

Beauty fix: I used mineral makeup by Cheyenne’s Designs, an online company based in Mississippi. Wallace does not wear makeup often and wanted as many tips as we could offer. I started with Nude Opal mineral powder, building the foundation over red areas to create a soft palette. The pigment of the foundation was so strong (a positive) that no concealer was needed, and I did not apply a blush, allowing instead her naturally rosy cheeks to show and be softened by the foundation.

I used green gold along the lower lid topped with Joy over the entire lid. I used dark brown mineral powder eye shadow as an eyeliner on the lower lash line. Wallace has a problem with mascara, so we brushed her lashes with the dark brown mineral powder. Translucent Setting Powder was patted over the foundation. Lip color, in a pot, in Pink Magic, nearly the color of Wallace’s lips, was applied with a lip brush.

Fashion fix: I took Wallace to the Clothes Mentor, a growing national chain resale store in Cordova, TN. Using Wallace’s Warm Golden Colour Palette, we narrowed the search to certain colors. Then, from those colors, I showed her how to make choices based on her personality and body line.

Wallace has high hips, so she needs clothes that help create definition for her waist. We agreed on building from a knee-length straight blue skirt and black skirt. Finding the right skirt required a few try-ons; tapered hip skirts have extra material at the hips that becomes wing-like on someone with high hips. Then, finding the correct length for Wallace’s comfort was the next problem. Unfortunately, many skirts made today come shorter than most women want. We went through several skirts trying to find the right fit and the right length.

We then chose a black-and-yellow print blouse, added a thin black belt just below the bust line, and spotlighted the colors with a bright yellow bangle and a lime-green shell necklace.

For her second outfit, we chose a blue linen short swing coat to go over an off-white rumpled full-cut tank, and for a pop of color, an orange linen scarf and orange plastic link-bracelet. Nude peep-toe pumps were chosen to go with both skirts, so as not to redirect the eye from her outfit.

Score card: “I love my hair,” Wallace said as she swiftly moved her head to make her hair bounce. “The clothes are great, the store is great — I love it all! The makeup is so easy to use; I would actually put makeup on!” A few days later, Wallace admitted that she could not get the style exactly as Smith had styled it; however, she said that it still looked great, even with her limited skills. She was elated that she had found such a talented stylist.

Clothes Mentor gave Wallace both complete outfits, and she purchased a couple more tops.

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Published by Carolyn Bendall

A fashion and image expert, presenting seminars, classes, and individual consultations. Monthly makeover column in the Commercial Appeal, hosts a radio show on fashion, beauty, image, and entertainment, writes a blog reviewing products with complete honesty, and trains image consultants from around the world.
View all posts by Carolyn Bendall